After nine years away, Carole Anne Ford has made her Doctor Who debut, and Jason Grimshaw, a 40-year-old actor, is returning to the ITV soap as Jason Grimshaw. However, other actors have also come back to play in the roles after a long time.
Ryan Thomas will be back on our screens in Corrie tonight as he returns to play Jason Grimshaw for the first time in nine years tonight. But that’s nothing compared to the time some other stars have spent away from iconic roles – before getting back into character once more.
On Saturday, Carole Ann Ford returned to Doctor Who 32 years after she was last seen on screen as the Time Lord’s granddaughter, Susan Foreman.
Ryan, 40, said he thought he’d never return to the soap but that “it felt right” for co-star and close friend Sue Cleaver’s emotional exit. Sue will bow out as Jason’s mother Eileen Grimshaw after more than 20 years in the role in upcoming episodes.
Before leaving the show in 1964, Carole, alias Susan Foreman, boarded the TARDIS alongside Hartnell’s First Doctor. She claims that “fan power” caused her to return, claiming that “I believe fans have been asking, “Where is she?” What else is going on besides her? Will she ever come back to haunt us?
She continues, “This is like a universe of its own,” to compare the Doctor Who set to the somewhat more contemporary 1960s version. It is breathtaking. I consider myself very honored to be here.
However, there are other TV and film stars who have since taken up their roles after a very long break. Among the others, you can see…
David Tennant (The Doctor in Doctor Who) – 13 YEARS
Tennant’s run as the 10th Doctor from 2005 to 2010 is the stuff of sci-fi legend. With his skinny suits, wild hair, and “Allons-y!” catchphrase, he quickly became a fan favourite – so much so, that his departure in a tear-streaked Christmas special left the nation heartbroken.
In 2023, Tennant, a huge stage and screen legend, stunned audiences by appearing in a cameo as the 14th Doctor alongside Catherine Tate. For the 60th anniversary, it was a popular twist that drew crowds, blending nostalgia and new chaos from Time Lord.
READ MORE: Coronation Street fans will see ‘different’ Jason Grimshaw with shock romance teased
21 YEARS AGO, Tony Adams (Adam Chance in Crossroads)
Tony Adams, who first appeared in the original run of the motel-set soap in 1978, was a fan favorite in Crossroads as the polite businessman Adam Chance. He remained a part of the series until its 1981 cancellation, leaving behind a legacy of big collars and bigger drama. He is renowned for his charm, affairs, and ever-changing fortunes.
In a move that delighted loyal viewers, Adams returned to Crossroads in 2002 when ITV revived the show after more than two decades off air. Picking up where he left off, Adam Chance was once again stirring the pot in King’s Oak, but was later killed off in a fire. Tony, now aged 84, went on to star in the West End stage version of Chitty Chatty Bang Bang as Grandpa Potts.
Paul Bradley (Nigel Bates in EastEnders) – 26 YEARS
Back in the ‘90s, Paul Bradley’s Nigel Bates was the lovable oddball of Albert Square—soft-spoken, cardigan-clad, and endlessly unlucky in love. A single dad with a heart of gold, Nigel brought warmth and awkward charm to even the grittiest EastEnders storylines. When he left Walford in 1998 to start a new life with girlfriend Julie, fans were sad but glad to see the gentle soul get a happy ending.
Elliot Hope, a heart surgeon, was a much-loved character until Paul’s portrayal in Holly City (1905-2015). Then, in 2024, Nigel returned to the stage for Dot Cotton’s funeral, wowing the crowd with his liminal appearance.
David Hasselhoff (Michael Knight in Knight Rider) – 22 YEARS
As Michael Knight, the leather-jacketed crime fighter with a talking car, David Hasselhoff was the epitome of cool in the 1980s. The Hoff became a global icon after Night Rider became a cult classic.
His career expanded after the series’ end in 1986, with roles in movies like Dodgeball and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movies as well as chart-topping pop stars like Mitch Buchanan and Mitch Buchanan patrolling the beaches in Germany.
In 1991, Hasselhoff took the lead in Knight Rider 2000, a futuristic TV movie sequel. Then, in 2008, he again delighted fans with a cameo in NBC’s lone Knight Rider reboot, which attracted more than 10 million viewers. For a video game, he also lent his voice to KITT once more.
29 Years Old David Jason (Granville in Open All Hours)
David Jason was the shy, long-suffering shop assistant Granville in Open All Hours, working under the tight-fisted Arkwright, played by Ronnie Barker. The show became a British sitcom classic during its original run from 1973 to 1985, with Jason’s quiet charm and comic timing helping it win generations of fans.
In Still Open All Hours, Jason made a comeback as the owner, this time as the owner, older, grumpier, and very much following his uncle’s penchant for penny-pinching. Nearly 30 years later, he followed his uncle in his uncle’s footsteps. In 2014, the reboot aired six episodes.
Sir Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek) – 26 YEARS
In 178 episodes of the sci-fi television series between 1987 and 1994, Sir Patrick portrayed Jean-Luc Picard, the commanding officer of the Federation’s starship, in four feature movies. He later appeared in numerous motion pictures, TV dramas, and stage shows, including Professor Charles Xavier’s role in the X-Men.
However, the veteran actor made a bold return to his former self-made status by stepping up in Star Trek: Picard in 2020. He delighted viewers with the news, saying, “I truly felt like my time with Star Trek had ended.”
“It is an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself energized and eager to travel to new dimensions with Jean-Luc Picard.”
Bonnie Langford (Mel Bush in Doctor Who) – 36 YEARS
Bonnie Langford, who played Mel Bush, the charismatic and charismatic companion to the 6th and 7th Doctors, made her first appearance on Doctor Who in 1986. She left the TARDIS in 1987, becoming renowned for her upbeat energy and recognizable scream, leading to a glittering stage and television career, including memorable appearances in EastEnders and acclaimed turns in the West End.
Bonnie surprised fans by stepping back into Mel’s shoes for The Power of the Doctor in 2022, later claiming that Russell T. Davies had sent her a script “out of the blue” and offered to write it back. And in the new series, she reprised her role this year, this time as Mel alongside Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th Doctor.
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Source: Mirror
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